Beggs because of the lack of UIL vision and their transphobia, was forced to despite being on testosterone for his transition and he and his family asking he allowed to wrestle against boys, forced by UIL bureaucrats to wrestle against girls.

That lack of UIL vision led to Beggs undefeated 56-0 championship season that shined a glaring spotlight on how unfair the UIL policy was to all concerned. It will hopefully lead the UIL idiots in Austin to change it to mirror the more progressive NCAA standards.

We've lost three trans women in the span of a week and five this month and I can understand why people would feel anxious, scared and reluctant to be out in public. But what can you do short term to push back against the anti-trans violence being aimed at us?

Be visible.

Step outside your homes. Be visible. Even if you are just stepping outside for 30 minutes to go to a local store or the mall, taking a short walk in your neighborhood, hanging out with your home girls at some restaurant or coffee shop and go back home after you do so.

Being visible in this case is a trans revolutionary act. Our opponents and haters want us to be scared to go out and be in public spaces that we have a constitutional and human right to be in.

Don't give in to that fear. Defy it.Coming up with the long range strategies, tactics and policies that we'll need to implement to reduce anti-trans violence will be something that we can't do overnight, and falls in the category of a long term project.

We must be cognizant of the reality as trans women that walking around in a female body on Planet Earth will always have issues attached to it and adjust accordingly. We also have to deal with the reality that because of systemic anti-Blackness, Black womanhood has always been demonized and under attack.

Those are issues that we'll have to work on along with our cis Black feminine counterparts and our allies. But we can do something right now to take back our power to deal with the anxiety that we feel in the wake of these latest trans murders and it's deceptively simple.

Be out and visible Be your unapologetically trans self in public, and bump the haters. .This is the best way in the short term you can honor the people we've lost to anti-trans violence.

Black Transwomen, Inc like the community, is just becoming aware of the tragic death of our fallen sister Chyna Gibson, and we awoke on Monday morning like members of our community to hear the unbelievable news that another trans women was killed in New Orleans' 7th Ward.

Ciara McElveen was stabbed seven times in the 1700 block of Columbus Street and left for dead when the NOPD found her after responding to a call at 9 AM CST. She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died from her wounds.

BTWI would like to express our deepest sympathy to her family and all who loved Ciara for her loss. We hope and pray that the person responsible for her murder is caught, prosecuted and is convicted of this heinous crime. If you have information that will lead to that happening, please call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867).

This makes her the second trans woman killed in New Orleans in the span of 48 hours, the third this week, the fourth in the month of February and the sixth nationally in 2017.

And the infuriating point to us at Black Transwomen Inc is that all four of the trans women killed in the month of February are African-American transpeople.

We at BTWI are just as fed up with this pattern of anti-trans violence aimed at our sisters as those of you who care about our Black trans feminine community.

Our motto at BTWI is Every Voice Matters. When a trans person's voice is stilled, we are going to ensure that their voice and the voices of all Black trans women are heard in this and other cases when it comes to our lost sisters until justice is served.

Rest in power and peace, Ciara

***

Black Transwomen, Inc is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities

TransGriot Note: I have a column in this ground breaking publication. This is my first article for it.When I started TransGriot with a midnight EST post on New Year's Day 2006, it was the first online publication that focused on the issues of Black trans people.

Eleven years later I'm pleased and proud to have been asked to participate in my small way in the launch of another online publication geared toward our community in Black T Magazine. I have been asked by founding editor Dezjorn Ray Gauthier to write a monthly column for this online magazine.

One of the things I have lamented is that we haven't had an outlet that talks about trans masculine stories from a Black trans masculine perspective. While my trans brothers know they are always welcome to submit guest posts at my blog, it's not the same as having one that is a FUBU production and designed with you in mind.

Dezjorn saw the same media coverage void for trans men of color I did and decided to fill it by founding Black T Magazine. And what better time to start it than during Black History Month?

Said Sabrina Samone about the founding of Black T Magazine:

Our warriors of African, Latin, and Asian descent, are far too often placed on the back burner of visibility, even in our own community. It is due to this struggle that he has recently responded to the call of Trans masculine men of color around the world, in creating 'Black T Magazine'. A magazine that is sure to greatly further the much needed representation of black Trans men.

Black trans men are an undeniable intertwined part of our Black community and have played major roles in building our trans community. Pioneers like Wilmer Broadnax and Jim McHarris who unapologetically lived their lives. Early trailblazing trans masculine leaders like Alexander John Goodrum, Marcelle Cook-Daniels and Kylar Broadus who helped pass laws and shape activism in our community You;re tech entrepreneurs like Dr Kortney Ziegler, Attorneys like Holiday Simmons. Models like Laith Ashley

The brothers of Black Transmen, Inc and their founder Carter Brown who are role modeling the change they wish to see in this world Faith leaders like Rev. Lawrence T. Richardson and Louis Mitchell Your African Diaspora brothers like Victor Mukasa who battled the Ugandan government to be himself .

Even your trans masculine brothers who are happily married and raising kids are doing your part to show the world that being out, Black, trans masculine and proud is a radical act , we have a right to exist and live our lives just like everyone else on this space rock.

You continue to show each other and the world that you are not stereotypical images of Black manhood but strive to be better for yourselves and our community as a whole.

And I as your trans sister love you for being those sterling examples of Black masculinity.

While I'm honored to have a column here, I'm not forgetting the fact this is your magazine to tell your stories. The world needs to hear them, and you need to support Black T magazine so it can accomplish its mission of talking about trans masculinity from your perspective.

Monday, February 27, 2017

I just went to a memorial service yesterday here in Houston for Chyna Gibson, and I woke up this morning to news of another NOLA trans woman being murdered.

Our fallen sister's name who was fatally stabbed there mere hours after Chyna Gibson was shot and killed Saturday in New Orleans East is Ciara McElveen.

She was found in New Orleans' 7th Ward after New Orleans police responded to a call at 9 AM CST at North Claiborne Ave and Columbus Streets.

NOPD arrived in the 1700 block of Columbus Street and discovered McElveen suffering from multiple stab wounds She was taken to a local hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.

According to a witness, McElveen was arguing with the driver of the vehicle being sought in this killing. The driver got out of the car after reaching across to the driver's side, opened the door, pulled McElveen out by her head, slammed her face into the ground and then drove off.

She is the second trans woman in New Orleans to be killed in the last 48 hours, the fourth this month, the third nationally in the span of a week and the 6th overall in 2017.

And as you probably guessed, the initial reporting misgendered her.

McElveen had no family members in the NOLA area, and according to NOPD spokeswoman Dawne Massey, NOPD is still conducting interview with witnesses and friends of hers,

NOPD is looking for a car, possibly a black Camaro in connection with this murder . If you have further information on this case that will lead to the arrest and convictions of the people who did this, please call call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867).

I will be keeping you updated about the details concerning this latest murder until an arrest, prosecution and conviction happens for the person who took Ciara's life..

Rest in power and peace, Ciara, Your community will not rest until justice is served in this case.

One of the things that was said during the emotional memorial service we held in Houston for Chyna Gibson Sunday was a comment that had some profound truth backing it.

Diamond Stylz in her comment to the assembled Montrose Center crowd was this: "We Black trans women are there for everyone's movements. We're there for gay people. We're there for the women's march. We're there for Black Lives Matter. When will people be there for us?"

Indeed, that is the question for these Trumpian times. We Black trans women stand up for everyone and their human rights. When will you begin to consistently stand up for ours? When will people consistently be there for us?

We Black trans women are walking examples of intersectionality. We are an undeniable part of the Black community. We are part of the TBLGQ one. We are part of the Black SGL community We are trailblazing women doing our part to uplift all the communities we intersect and interact with.

If there is a human rights cause or struggle out there, you can count on Black trans women to practice what we preach about intersectionality and be on the front lines with you.

Whether it's at Ferguson, MO and elsewhere with Black Lives Matter, speaking from the women's march stages in DC and elsewhere. march for a woman's right to choose, at a anti-police violence rally, speaking at a memorial service, or any cause that requires us to be there in solidarity with our people, we're there to not only lend our voices to it, but in some case we will step up to lead or organize it.

But when we Black trans women need you to stand with us on issues important to our community, far too often many of you are MIA.

Black trans women are catching hell from multiple angles. We have people hating on us because we are transgender . We have people hating on us for having the audacity to exist. We have people hating on us because we are unapologetically Black. We have people hating on us because of our #BlackTGirlMagic. We have people hating on us because we are walking this planet in feminine bodies.

But despite that, we rise, survive and thrive as proud Black trans women. But we're not superhuman. We're facing near genocidal levels of anti-trans violence aimed at us, and it is going to take a village to help us stem the tide and stop it. Four of the five trans women killed due to anti-trans hate violence in 2017 have been African American, and three of the four murdered this year have been under age 40.

That's unacceptable to us. It should be just as important to the cis Black community and all the communities we intersect and interact with that Black trans women get to live long, healthy and productive lives as it is a Prime Directive imperative for us.

So where y'all at Black community? When will elements of you peeps in the faith community stop cooning it up with right wing politicians and white fundamentalist Christians gleefully using the Bible to attack our humanity?

When will you, NAACP, Urban League, and other traditional Black civil rights orgs step up and loudly and consistently call out the injustice aimed at Black trans women?

When will you cis Black trans attracted men get over your shame and guilt issues, stand up, and boldly proclaim to the world you love and stand with trans women?

Cis Black women, when will you call out the unacceptable level of violence aimed at us and help us do the ongoing work of building sisterhood in our ranks that will be required to stem the tide of it?

Black politicians at all levels of government, when will you step up to the plate to use your political influence and bully pulpits as President Obama and former Attorney General Loretta Lynch did while in office to call out unjust legislation aimed at us and author just legislation and policies that will help us?

Black SGL community, when will you call out your fellow peeps in LGBTQ World and let them know that shadily attacking trans people is unacceptable, and diligently work to eradicate transphobia in our community ranks?

When will you Black community, make it clear that demonization of Black trans people will not be tolerated inside or outside our community?

We're anxiously awaiting in Black trans feminine world your answer to all those questions.

We've heard that statistic about the average age of a Black trans person being age 35, and much of it has to do with the unacceptable levels of anti-trans violence aimed at us.

While there are some things that we can do on our end to help ensure we reach advanced birthdays, much of the heavy lifting in this case is going to have to be done by our society.

It is past time for people to stop attacking the humanity and existence of trans people. We're not going anywhere, so y'all need to get over it. Our trans lives are not subject to political or theological debate.

We exist. Deal with it. We are part of the diverse mosaic of human life.

That means that it's not acceptable behavior for you as a cis male to hurt maim or kill us if you happen to find out that the attractive woman that you got a hard on for in the club or as she was minding her own damned business and going about her day is transgender. .

It also means cis women, that it is not acceptable behavior,just because you are jealous of that trans woman who is getting more male attention than you, to set her up for a hate crime by shadily whispering 'that's a man' in some brother's ear.

My sisters, I want you to know what it's like to be my age, Tracie Jada O'Brien's, Justina Williams', Gloria Allen's or Miss Major's age. I would love to see some of y'all with gray hair. or how fab you will look when you hit 35, 40 or 50. I want to see how your fab trans lives evolve, I can't be a mentor to you if I don't have you around to pass down your history and some of my life experiences to.as was done for me by my trans elders

I want my Black trans sisters to be able to age gracefully, have and experience the amazing lives I know they are capable of having.

Sunday, February 26, 2017

The weekly TransGriot Shut Up Fool Awards are one of the more popular features on my now 11 year old blog, and since 2010, I have been on Oscar Night handing out an SUF Lifetime Achievement award to the person, persons or group of people who have just made it their mission in life to show the world just how stupid, clueless and arrogantly ignorant they are.

In 2011, I expanded it to five people every year. Last year, in honor of TransGriot's tenth anniversary, I named ten honorees, and due to the explosion of fools, it'll be at ten honorees for the foreseeable future.

Enough jibber jabber, let's get to the business of adding another group of fools for their lifetime achievements in coonery, buffoonery and WTF level hypocrisy. .

And the members of the Shut Up Fool Lifetime Achievement Awards Class of 2017 are...

The envelope please..

The SUF Class of 2017 is

Donald TrumpJeffrey LordCarl PaladinoKellyanne Conwaya group award for the Bernie or BustersMilo Yiannopoulos

BTWI is horrified to learn that mere days after we have communicated our dismay, shock and anger over the killing of Keke Collier. that we must now discuss the murder of another trans woman

Chyna Gibson had gone home to New Orleans to like thousands of other people, celebrate Mardi Gras and be with her family during that festive time.

Instead, she was brutally murdered. Shot ten times and left to die in the parking lot of a New Orleans strip mall.

BTWI would like to express our condolences to Chyna's family, friends and all who loved her. She was well known in the pageant and ballroom community as Chyna Doll Dupree, and she will be missed.

Rest in power and peace, Chyna

We are also asking that if you have information that will expeditiously solve this murder and lead to the arrest, conviction and incarceration of the person who committed this heinous crime, to please call NOPD Homicide Detective Robert Barrere at 504-658-1111. You can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP (7867)

Chyna's trans life that was tragically cut short matters, as did the lives of Keke Collier, Jo Jo Striker, Mesha Caldwell and Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow. We at BTWI 'are tired of the anti-trans violence and hatred aimed at us and now at our trans kids by the Trump Administration.

We exist. Our trans lives matter to ourselves and all who love us. BTWI will do our part to fight for the humanity and human rights of Black trans women and our Black trans kids to ensure they live quality lives.

***

Black Transwomen, Inc is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities

I just wrote a post about trans woman Keke Collier being killed in Chicago earlier this week, and now I'm having to announce that we have lost another trans sister in Chyna Gibson

New Orleans Police responded to a call Saturday night around 8:26 PM CST in the 4300 block of Downman Road and found the body of the 31 year old Gibson lying in the parking lot of the Bella Plaza shopping center in New Orleans East between two vehicles in front of a clothing store.

She had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead on the scene. Gibson is now the fifth US trans woman murdered in 2017, all women of color.

She was well known in the ballroom community as Chyna Doll Dupree, and the New Orleans native had gone home from California to celebrate Mardi Gras.

NOPD Homicide Detective Robert Barrere is in charge of the investigation, and can be reached at 504- 658-1111 if you have any information concerning this murder.

The Orleans Parish coroner will be releasing further details about this case.

What also has me upset about hearing about this latest murder just down I-10 east is that last month a YouTube video surfaced of two cisgender males harassing and hunting trans women in the New Orleans area.

You can also call Crimestoppers at 504-822-1111 or 1-877-903-STOP if you have information that will lead to the apprehension of the person or persons who committed this crime.

Rest in power and peace, Chyna. We will not rest until the person who did this is brought to justice and rotting in a jail cell.

Saturday, February 25, 2017

Good luck Mack!. Hope you leave the area with a historic state title win, and next year the UIL comes to its senses and allows you to wrestle against boys as you wish to do.-TransGriot

And the first part of that statement is exactly what happened.

Mack Beggs is the 2017 Texas Class 6A state wresting champion in his 110 pound weight class after winning his girls championship match 12-1 against Chelsea Sanchez of Katy Morton Ranch HS to cap off an undefeated season.

That's not a typo. The Texas Class 6A Girls state wrestling champion in his 110 pound weight class.

The 'Mack Attack' would have rather done so in the 6A boys division and been on the Trinity HS boys team. UIL policy forces Texas trans athletes to compete based on the birth certificate gender marker and not their gender presentation.

They denied the Trinity HS junior his request to compete in the boys division, and the result is the lousy no-win optics for him, his fellow competitors, and the UIL as he rolled through an undefeated 56-0 season to a state title.

Mack is also on testosterone as part of his gender transition, and that was also permissible because Mack was taking it for medical reasons, and his testosterone was below the allowed limit.

The UIL is still trying to defend the indefensible transphobic rules they put in place, and claim there's 'no interest' in changing the rules that allowed this messed up situation to happen in the first place.

But the UIL needs to join us in the 21st century and base high school athletic competition for Texas trans kids on gender presentation and not their birth certificate.

It's either the UIL come to that realization on their own or have the change forced upon them by legal action.

Now that we trans peeps are back in the news again because of the reprehensible actions of the Trump misadministration, one of the things I'm seeing that is starting to annoy me is the media use of the rainbow flag chyron in stories that are specifically about transgender issues.

FYI News Media, even though we will sometimes use the overall LGBTQ community rainbow flag at times, we do have a trans specific flag created by a trans person. .

That trans pride flag was created by Monica Helms in August 1999, first flown at a Phoenix, AZ pride parade in 2000, and the original trans pride flag is now in the Smithsonian.

It would be nice if you would use that trans pride flag in stories that are predominately about us like the Trump revocation of the Obama Dear Colleague letters .

Friday, February 24, 2017

Mack Beggs is a trans masculine wrestler at Euless Trinity High School in the Dallas-Ft Worth area who is a few matches away from capturing the Texas 6A wrestling title in his 110 pound weight class.

The Texas 6A girls wrestling title.

Is it fair to the cis girls he is competing against in his weight class? Nope not to them or Beggs, who would rather be competing against the cis boys. The University Interscholastic League (UIL) the governing body for Texas high school sports and academic competitions, turned down a request made by Beggs and his family for the Trinity HS junior to be allowed to compete against boys.

The UIL is still defensive when you point out what's happening. They say it was an open process that reflected the consensus of thought at the time, even as Texas trans people and others were warning the UIL the jacked up rules they were passing were problematic.Last year the UIL's school superintendents and athletic directors voted to require that Texas transgender students compete based on the gender on their birth certificate instead of gender presentation,

He's in the Houston 'burbs competing in the 6A wrestling state championship meet being held at the Berry Center in Cypress this weekend. He has successfully gotten through the first day of the 6A wrestling championship with his two opening round wins to go 54-0 on the season

But it's no thanks to the UIL that this awkward situation is taking place at all and Beggs is the favorite to be holding the Class 6A title in his weight class when the tournament ends on Saturday.

Beggs won the Region II 6A title in Allen last week after his opponent Madeline Rocha of Coppell HS forfeited the match. Rocha still advanced to this weekend's championship matches as the regional runner up.

Nancy Beggs, Mack's grandmother and guardian said to the Dallas Morning News, "Today was not about their students winning. Today was about bias, hatred and ignorance."

"Mack is challenging what people thought was a good policy," said Chris Mosier, founder of TransAthlete.com. "This very well may spark change from people just by seeing how the policy was not well thought out and this is the outcome of following the rules exactly as they are."
Texas is one of seven regressive states that requires trans people to compete in high school athletic competition based on the gender marker on your birth certificate instead of the more enlightened NCAA and IOC gender presentation standards.

Lou Weaver, who is the Transgender Programs Coordinator for Equality Texas and was in attendance at today's historic championship match, points out in a Reuters story that Beggs is in compliance with current UIL rules that need to be changed, "so guys like Mack can wrestle with their peers, which would be on the boys team."

Sure hope so because that's what we trans Texans want to be able to do. We wish to compete in whatever sport we choose as ourselves, with our peers and without unnecessary drama.

Good luck Mack!. Hope you leave the area with a historic state title win, and next year the UIL comes to its senses and allows you to wrestle against boys as you wish to do.

Since 2010, I've passed out the Shut Up Fool Lifetime Achievement Awards during Oscar Weekend to not only call out fools who just have grown beyond the weekly award, but give myself something to do in the years I refuse to watch the Oscars because they have had a severe lack of melanin in their nominations.

This year I'll be tuned in, but the Shut Up Fool Lifetime Achievement Awards will go on as scheduled Sunday night when I announce the Class of 2017 winners.

But before we get to Sunday, let's get our usual Friday business out of the way in naming this week's Shut Up Fool weekly award winners.

Honorable mention number one is a group award for the CPAC attendees who were waving Russian flags with Trump on them during his speech to the event today.

And these are supposed to be the intelligent conservafools. Lord help us.

honorable mention number two is Jackie Evancho who after singing at Trump's inauguration, is now shocked that he has yanked the protections for trans kids, and is even more shocked he won't meet with her and her trans feminine sister Juliet.

Really? When everyone was telling you not to sing at his inauguration and you did so anyway, and now you're shocked that he won't see you after you cave him the propaganda cover he was looking for?

Honorable mention number three is Caitlyn Jenner, who called out Trump and told him to 'call her' after yanking protections for trans kids.

Now Caitlyn's azz wants to speak up after we told her for months that the GOP she supports doesn't like trans people. You're going to have the same success getting him to call you that Jackie Evancho is having , none.

Sit your azz down somewhere.

Honorable mention number four is the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL), the governing body for Texas HS sports. They refuse to change their rule that would allow Texas trans high school students to compete based on their gender presentation, and now they have the situation of having a transmasculine student being forced by their rules to wrestle against girls.

Honorable mention number five is the Trump administration for pick an outrage

This week's Shut Up Fool winner is Tampa Bay Bucs QB Jameis Winston, who opened his mouth and let something stupid fly out of it while speaking to a Tampa area elementary school.

During the 40 minute speech he said that ladies are supposed to be silent, polite and gentle. That may be the motto for the Stepford Wives in the conservafool ranks, but not during a time in which we need to be speaking truth to power in the fact of an unjust government.

Winston later apologized for the inarticulate remarks, but naw homey, you need to have several sections of seats at Raymond James Stadium and ponder the long proud legacy of African American women who didn't stay silent about things that mattered like Angela Davis, Coretta Scott King, Sojourner Truth, Ida B. Wells, Shirley Chisholm, Audre Lorde, Congresswoman Maxine Waters...

Well behaved silent women don't make history or confront injustice.

So on behalf of all women cis and trans, Jameis Winston, shut up fool!

After saying during the 2016 campaign that Donald Trump would be 'good on women's issues', expressed the sentiment that she would like to be the trans ambassador for Ted Cruz as he attacked trans people on the GOP presidential primary campaign trail, slammed Hillary Clinton as 'a political hack' and claimed 'the country would be over' if she won, now Caitlyn Jenner is shocked, shocked that after one month of Dear Cheeto Leader's disastrous presidency and supporting him that he would attack trans kids.

Anyone who was paying attention during that campaign and had a brain knew that if we wanted trans rights progress to stay on an upward trajectory, we needed Hillary Clinton to be elected to succeed President Barack Obama on November 8.

Our humanity and human rights as trans people were on the 2016 presidential ballot, and far too many of you peeps were caught up in your 'I hate Hillary' fee fees to see that. Some of you in Trans World were more concerned about your wallets and loyalty to the Republican Party than thinking about what candidate was best for our community.

Now you're shocked that the Obama administration's DOE/ DOJ trans guidance letter is being revoked by a so-called POTUS with an 'R" behind his name, your clueless behind is calling it a 'disaster' and you're urging Trump to 'call you'

Really? Now your azz is shaking off the fog of white privilege and seeing what I and a long list of trans folks were trying to tell you in the runup to November 8 that the Republican Party you're a member of is no friend of the trans community, and is chock full of anti-trans legislative bullies and transphobes

Neither is this so-called POTUS a friend of our community, and he proved it Wednesday. You and every trans person who voted for Trump is a sellout to trans kind and by doing so, you greased the skids for the oppression of our trans kids and our community

Miss Right Wing Thang, you're going to have as much success getting that phone call back from the Trump White House chock full of trans oppressors to talk about trans issues as Jackie Evancho did,

So sit your azz down Caitlyn and have several rows of seats. .

Just more evidence that co-signs that the post I wrote in December 2015 is still valid.

Guess someone at MSNBC was reading the tweet I put up in the wake of the HBO Milo disaster and yesterday when I said that transpeople needed to be in the studio when discussions were being had by network pundits about the issues that affect us.

I also said that trans people of color also need to be in those studios discussing the issues that affect us as well because being trans is not just a 'white thang' as elements of people in communities of color seem to think. .

So here's Laverne Cox talking to MSNBC's Chris Matthews on Hardball about the Trump revocation of trans student protections and eloquently stating the case again that this is a human rights issue.

Black Transwomen, Inc is saddened to hear the news that we have lost another sister to anti-trans violence. On Tuesday morning 24 year old Keke Collier was found lying in the street in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood suffering from three gunshot wounds she would subsequently succumb from.

BTWI expresses our condolences to Collier's family and all who loved her for her untimely death

Collier is unfortunately the fourth trans person we have lost to anti trans violence in the United States, and the second this month. Collier becomes the third African American trans person after 41 year old Mesha Caldwell in Canton, Mississippi and 23 year old Jo Jo Striker in Toledo, Ohio to die this year.

The fourth person we have lost in 2017 to anti-trans violence was 28 year old Native American Jamie Lee Wounded Arrow or Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

BTWI laments the loss of all these women, and are particularly upset and angered about the three women under the age of 30. These women were taken from us before they had a chance to explore the full potential of their lives.

BTWI Board Chair Dee Dee Watters is asking that we have a national moment of silence starting at 9:00 PM CST for five minutes for Keke and all the trans women we have lost in 2017.

BTWI's motto is that Every Voice Matters, and these women's voices were stilled before they had the opportunity to find their voices in society. We're here to ensure that trans women survive, thrive and become the best persons they can be. BTWI also exists to send the unmistakable message that our Black Trans Lives Matter.

BTWI hopes and prays that the perpetrator of this crime is swiftly caught and justice is served in this case. We urge those of you who may have information that could possibly help expeditiously solve the Collier case to call the Chicago Police Department.

***

Black Transwomen, Inc is a national not for profit organization based in Dallas TX that is part of the Black Trans Advocacy Coalition, a social justice alliance of the Black Transmen Inc, Black Transwomen Inc & Black Trans International Pageantry System organizations. BTA is committed to the advancement of black and trans people and the liberation of all disenfranchised people by working collaboratively to help end race and gender inequalities

Chicago Police responded to a call of shits fired in the 7300 block of South May Street around 6:14 AM CST and found when they arrived Collier lying in the street suffering from gunshot wounds to the chest, arm and hand.

The 24 year old Collier was transported to Advocate Christ Hospital where she succumbed to her wounds. She is now the fourth trans woman in the US, all trans women of color, who has been murdered in 2017.

Three of the four trans women who have been murdered this year are Black, and one was Native American. The thing that is also pissing me off about this murder is that once again, Keke was another under 30 trans woman.

Chicago Police are investigating this crime, and are looking for a dreadlocked man wearing a black hoodie and a red vehicle who was spotted fleeing the scene. Shasha Lauren, a peer navigator at Chicago House, reportedly talked to a witness who stated they say Collier get into a car with a man of the

If you have any information that will bring her killer to justice you are asked to call them.

A vigil has already been held for Collier,and if there is word of a memorial service, I will pass it along as soon as I receive it. I'll also keep track of what happens in this case until justice is served for Keke, her family and all who loved her.

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About The TransGriot

Monica Roberts, AKA the TransGriot (Gree-oh) is a native Houstonian, GLAAD award nominated blogger, writer, and award winning trans human rights advocate. She's the founding editor of TransGriot, and her writing has appeared at the Bilerico Project, Ebony.com, The Huffington Post and the Advocate.
She works to foster understanding and acceptance of trans people inside and outside communities of color and was recently honored with the Virginia Prince Transgender Pioneer Award

TransGriot Blog Mission Statement

The TransGriot blog's mission is to become the griot of our community. I will introduce you to and talk about your African descended trans brothers and trans sisters across the Diaspora, reclaim and document our chocolate flavored trans history, speak truth to power, comment on the things that impact our trans community from an Afrocentric perspective and enlighten you about the general things that go on around me and in the communities that I am a member of.

--Mission Statement compiled January 2, 2011

The TransGriot Loves Comments

Feel free to leave comments on the posts. But bear in mind that you are guests in my cyberhome. As soon as I get to them, your comments are posted at my pleasure.

They will post as soon as I approve them, so no need to repeat sending them.

I strive to make it a safe zone for people to respectfully express themselves, but I have zero tolerance for hate speech, transphobic or blatantly disrespectful comments or ad spam.

I reserve the right to edit your comments for clarity or not post them at all.

2014, 2017 GLAAD Media Awards Outstanding Blog Finalist

2011 BWA Best LGBT Blog Finalist

2010 BWA Judges' Vote Winner Best LGBT Blog

2015-2017 NLGJA Member

TransGriot Speaking/Education Efforts Info

The TransGriot is available for speaking engagements, college lectures, panel discussions, media interviews, conferences or Trans 101 education efforts for your school, business or professional organizations.

For local Houston area, Texas or national events, you can e-mail me at transgriot@yahoo.com

For events outside the Houston metro area, I ask that my travel and lodging expenses be covered.

This is separate from my speaking fee.

If you are interested in having me appear as a speaker or panelist, you can e-mail me with the date and details of your proposed event.

Please book as early as possible because my speaking and event calendar slots during the year rapidly fill up.

CMBA Disclaimer

This personal blog allows me to express my constitutionally guaranteed First Amendment free speech rights and kick knowledge to y'all at the same time on various issues.

Nothing in it shall be construed, spun, remixed, altered or interpreted to mean it represents the views of my employers or the boards of the organizations that I sit on.

Photos and videos posted to this blog are used for illustrative purposes only and unless noted in the post or linked article, photos/videos don't indicate or are not intended to imply the person depicted in said photo/video is transgender